Preventive Medicine: Exercise and the Environment

Preventive medicine: Exercise and the Environment, offers a detailed exploration into how active we are in the environments in which we live can impact people's health across the lifespans. Drawing upon sustained and world leading research in these topics at Exeter, you will gain a deeper understanding of the science behind the interaction of physical activity and the environment with lifelong health and wellbeing.

This course is aimed primarily at those undergraduates and graduates with a keen interest in physical activity, health and wellbeing, medicine, and health behaviours including physical activity and exercise and the environments in which we live. If you have a background in biology, sports science, kinesiology, medicine, psychology, or professions allied to medicine, you will be well prepared for this course, however the course will be enjoyed by anyone who has an interest in science and health.

Topics will include physiological, psychological and sociological aspects of health and wellbeing, natural and virtual environments and their impact on health from childhood to old age. You will be able to interact with internationally renowned and world-class researchers over a series of lectures, seminars and practical sessions and have a chance to consider the practice and promotion of preventive medicine.

The programme creates a challenge for you academically whilst also providing you with the skills to apply theoretical concepts in real-world laboratory and field settings. The aims of the course are:

To provide a thought-provoking and insightful examination of the interaction between physical activity, the environment and our health which reflects the University’s strong and unique reputation for internationally excellent multi-method and interdisciplinary research and teachings in this field.
To provide a sound basis in quantitative approaches to the study of physical activity, exercise and health.
To work with the research expertise of staff across various, diverse disciplines (psychology, physiology, sociology, exercise medicine, paediatric exercise science, the environment) to allow a rounded exploration of how physical activity and the environment can influence population health

Module at a Glance

Module Title	Preventative Medicine: Exercise and the Environment
Module Code	ISS3006
Module Convenor	Dr Richard Pulsford
Credit Value	7.5 ECTS
Scheduled Teaching	24 x 2 Hour Sessions
Total Module Hours	150 Hours
Guided Independent Study	Pre-Reading Before Arrival Preparatory readings for lectures and seminars Researching, preparing and delivering a group presentation Researching and completing two written assignments
Formative Assessment	Presentation Plan – 1 Page– Verbal Feedback Assignment Plan – 1 Page – Verbal Feedback
Summative Assessment	Critical Essay on one course topic linking physical activity and health – 1500 words – 60% of credit – written feedback Group Presentation – 20 minutes – 40% of credit – verbal and written feedback
Sample Pre Reading	Adrianne E. Hardman, David J. Stensel, Physical Activity and Health: The evidence explained (2nd ed. Routledge, 2009)
Sample Lecture Sessions	Physical Activity and Mental Health Paediatric Exercise and Medicine: Theory into Practice

Apply now

Applications for 2024 are now open. Please visit our How to Apply section to read the guidelines to find out more.

Find out more about the Preventive Medicine programme from Richard Pulsford, one of the lecturers on the course as well as from some previous students on the programme.

"I learned so much in the course due to its interdisciplinary nature! This course perfectly blended lessons on how both our environment and methods of exercise can impact the health of ourselves and the overall population. We gained knowledge not only through expert lecturers but also through practical hands-on work in lab settings which I had never been able to do before my time at Exeter!"

Tatiana, Butler University, USA